Wagon-brake



(ModeL) E. H. JOHNSTON.

WAGON BRAKE.

Patented Dec. 6,1881.

Iii.

N. PEYERS. Mao-Lithograph. Walhinglon. n.c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQE;

EDWARD H. JOHNSTON, 'OF NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

WAGON-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 250,543, dated December 6, 1881. Application filed September 29, 1881. (Model) To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD H. JOHNSTON, of Nashville, in the county of Davidson and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in WVagon-Brakes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the inven- 'tion, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being hail to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in wagon-brakes; and it consists in the combination of a hand-lever, which operates the brake, a spring-pawl, which is pivoted to this lever, and which engages with the ratchet-bar that is secured to the side of the wagon-bed, and a small hand-lever, which is pivoted to the lever that carries the pawl, and which small hand-lever is provided with a pin or projection for operating the pawl, as will be more fully described hereinafter.

The object of my invention is to attach all of the moving parts directly to the lever which moves the brake, and thereby simplify and cheapen the construction of the operating parts.

Figure l is a side elevation of my invention, taken from the inner side of the ratchet-frame. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same.

A represents a metallic frame, which is secured to the side of the wagon-bed, and which has ratchet-teeth formed in the lower edge of its upper part. To the lower portion of this frame is pivoted the main lever O, to which the connecting-rod for operating the brake is fastened. Pivoted to the inner side of this lever, at a suitable distance below the ratchetteet-h,is the pawl D, which has its upper end to engage with the ratchet-teeth for the purpose of holding the lever O in any desired position. Upon the inner side of this pawl D is made a recess or pocket, E, and in this pocket is placed a suitable spring, E, which bears against a projection, I, that is made upon the lever 0 upon one end and against the end of the pocket at the other. The whole tension of this spring is applied in pressing the upper end of the pawl upward in such a manner as to causeit to engage constantly with the ratchetteeth whenever it is left free to move. Also, pivoted to the inner side of the operating-lever G is a small hand-lever, J, which has its lower end connected to the lower end of the pawl, while its upper end is bent so as to extend slightly out beyond the edge of the main lever G, and thus adapt it to be grasped and operated at the same time that the hand is applied to the upper end of the main lever 0. When the upper end of this hand-lever is pressed inward the lower end of the pawl is forced sidewise and the upper end of the pawl disengaged from the ratchet-teeth. This hand-lever also serves as a guide for the main lever O by catching over the rear side of the frame A and holding the lever always in close contact therewith. This lever is thus made to perform the double duty of operating the pawl and as a guide.'

It will be seen thatall of the operating parts are attached directly to the main lever, so that fewer parts are necessary, and the construction of the brake is very greatly cheapened.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim- The combination of the frame A, the lever O, pivoted thereto, the lever J, pivoted to the lever C, and the spring-dog D, operated by the projection I, substantially as shown.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD H. JOHNSTON.

Witnesses:

THOMAS WATERS, ScoTT BENNETT. 

